In which I defend theological doohickey postmodernist BS
Benozzo Gozzoli, The Glory of Saint Thomas Aquinas. 1468-1484. Thomas, nearly as postmodern a chap as Nicholas of Cusa, was keenly aware of the difficulties inherent in all God-talk. He dealt with the problem up front in his Summa Theologica, forging a middle way between apophatic and cataphatic. We like him anyway. Source: Wikimedia Commons. The [...]
The shape of our ignorance: Catherine Keller on life’s contradictions
Catherine Keller. Image source: Vancouver School of Theology A couple of days ago there appeared, at Religion Dispatches, an interview with theologian Catherine Keller. I read some of Keller’s stuff as a seminary student and found her to be extremely challenging. She reads not unlike poetry. Over time, though, I began (I like to think) [...]
On depression and “Buddhist science”
Not depressed: HHDL’s call for “Buddhist science” may make sense. Image source: buddhachannel.tv Several years ago I went on antidepressants. It was one of the most difficult, drawn-out, painful decisions I have ever made. When I finally did, though, there was very little pain and a lot of relief. Several days before my first prescription [...]
On upper-class medieval persons, Bronze-Age goat herders, and semi-enlightened Englishmen, featuring full-color illustrative proof of the Bronze-Age Goat Herder Conceit
Almost enlightened, but not quite: Sir Frederick William Herschel, artist unknown. Image source: Wikimedia Commons “Imagine we could revive a well-educated Christian of the fourteenth century. The man would prove to be a total ignoramus, except on matters of faith. His beliefs about geography, astronomy, and medicine would even embarrass a child, but he would [...]
And to think, I almost liked Sam Harris
Sam Harris c. 2007. Image source: Wikimedia Commons I have just finished reading Sam Harris‘s The End of Faith. And for some reason, coming after my rereading of The God Delusion as it did, I kind of liked it. Harris seems, on the whole, less simplistic and more thoughtful than Dawkins. Plus, he never bothers [...]
Did Jesus really die for our sins?
Fritz Eichenberg, The Black Crucifixion, 1963. Placing a black Christ on the cross changes the meaning of the image. We may need a change in our understanding of the atonement and of Christ’s passion and death. Image source: Sacred Art Pilgrim We’re in the Christian season of Lent, and Lent is a good time to [...]
More Rohr
Fr. Richard Rohr is a Franciscan of the New Mexico Province. He was the founder of the New Jerusalem Community in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1971, and the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1986, where he presently serves as Founding Director. Image source: Silence in the City Since I last posted [...]
Why Eckhart matters
A woodcut of Meister Eckhart, provenance unknown. This image is featured on the cover of Bruce Milem’s book, The Unspoken Word: Negative Theology in Meister Eckhart’s German Sermons I’ve been reading a lot of Meister Eckhart lately. He was a Dominican friar, which means he was not a monk but a preacher (if you ever [...]
We like Gus
Icon of Augustine of Hippo, provenance unknown. Image source: allmercifulsavior.com Recently, Our Man in Kentucky* Al Mohler posted an article on his blog explaining just how important it is that all Christians reject evolution outright, without exception or qualification. His reason? Evolution contradicts scripture. He writes, I am willing to accept the authority of science [...]
Five on the fall
Cartoon by M. Shaw. Published in The New Yorker 8/9/2010. Source: cartoonbank.com. Ever since my dear friend Stacy brought this cartoon to my attention, I have been thinking about Genesis 1-3 I think my favorite Bible stories come right up front in Genesis 2 and 3, in which Adam and Eve are created out of [...]
